Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-16
Toinette and the Tiger.
ny WALLACE r. REED.


Nonsense. replied LaRue. There
is no danger. These circus men are
always spread ng some wild rumors
about the escape of lions and tigers.
They do it to AL yertlse the show. You
are not afraid are you. ToinetteP"
Toinette. n pretty girl Of 10, tossed
her golden tresses with an air of dis
dain.
81 am not going out" she said.
land the tiger is not likely to come
into the house. Marie Will demand all
my attention while you are gone"
Mr.. LaRue and his wife were on the
way to the village. some six miles dis
tant, when this conversation took place
For day or two the country people
had been somewhat exc ted over the
report that "A royal Bengal tiger had
escaped from the menagerie attached
to tho Great Western Circus. then ex-
hibiting at neighboring town. but
nothing definite could be learned, and
many agreed with LaRue that the story
was nothing but an advertising dodge.
Toinette watched her parents as they
drove of in a buggy. and waved her
hand to them as they disappeared
around the bend in the road.
The girl was strickenly fair and deli
cate for farmers daughter. Her
vivac ty. inherited doubtless with her
French blood, were all that saved her
from be NJ a doll-ike beauty. with her
pink aud white complexion and hair
like spun gold.
''Toinette! Tonette!' yelled the baby
sister, bright little 3-year-old "won t
90 tum and play cirky p
Marie had never seen circus. but
she had heard all about il. and on this
particular morning she had brought
ont her collection of toys, and was de-
term ned TO get up "a "Monsler Aggre-
CATION Of Wonders that would rival
those advert sed by the Great Western.
Iolnette saw that she was i'm for il.
Let me see If the coast is clear"
she exclaimed, as she ran to the front
door.
There was nothing IN sight on the
lonely road, and not human figure
WAS to be seen in the fields surrounding
the house.
Alone n this sol tude with the near
est neighbor mile away. the girl for
moment yielded to slight nervous
ness. Then she shrugged her shoulders
i'll her French way and laughed
This is a picnic for Marie" she
said. and | suppose | must assist her
in turning the house upside down.
For sn hour or so the two had a
delightful romp. The family cat was
harnesSed 10 a little wagon and made
to trot around an imaginary ring until,
revolving in high dudgcon. she tore
herself loose from the harness. and fled
TO the woods. All Of the playthings
were utilized in turn, until finally
Marie threw them petuantly away,
and clamored for new pleasure
1t was no slight task to amuse this
spoiled child. but Toinette was good
natured, and nothing delighted her
more than frolic. After everything
else had been tried she thought of one
resource that had never been known
10 fail.
Now let's blow bubbles" she
suggested.
scream OF pleasure from Marie
showed that no better scheme could
have been devised.
In another moment the two had
established themselves at the end of
the back piazza, with Big bowl OF
suds and couple of clay pipes
The servants had been given a holt
day on account of the circus. and
perfect silence reigned with the ex-
ception Of the shouts raised by Toinette
and Marie when an unusually large
bubble iloated upward like gorgeous
little balloon.
Toinette had all childs fancy for
gaudy colors, and she found herself
watching the prismatic hues of the big
bubbles with intense interest.
A low growl disturbed her, and
caused her to look around.
big cat, said Marie, heap big
germ our cat Amt she p'ittyP"
Toineite's blood froze with terror as
she turned her head.
On the piazza, between the girls and
the back door stood royal Bengal
tiger!
just what Toinette would have done
will never be known. Fortunately the
tigers action decided the matter One
OF Marie's bubbles had loated in his
direction. 1t rested lightly on the tip
Of his nose. and. bounding off. it SHIN
mered with dazzling magniiicence for
a second and then collapsed.
The tiger was unquestionably aston
ished. 1t beat anything that he had
ever seen in the circus. He looked
puzzled for an instant and then turned